JWOWW wants Snooki to collaborate on a sunglasses collection. "I'm a good designer, but she's great with ideas. She tells me…and I can put them on paper," said JWOWW. Also, JWOWW would like Lady Gaga to wear her swimsuits. [People]

"As for the collaboration, I think the idea is brave – brave but idiotic, particularly on Madonna's part, and I wonder if she is doing it in order to have some common ground with her daughter. We all do things with our mums that bring us together. My mum and I have recently done up the attic, we've planned weekend holidays to Norfolk. They are nice projects for us to work on together. Maybe creating a fashion line with her daughter is Madonna's equivalent. But, in my view, it's bound to backfire." A 15-year-old tells Lourdes not to go into business with her mother. [Telegraph]

Behind-the-scenes shots of Clive Owen on his Bulgari campaign shoot are the perfect thing for a Friday morning. [People]

André Leon Talley, who recently met Dov Charney at a luxury industry summit, visited the American Apparel headquarters in L.A. But the company wouldn't comment on the reason for his visit. [Fashionista]

An awesome Gucci employee built a nuclear reactor in Brooklyn. [Gawker]

"Full beards on men make us think of Karl Marx and Santa Claus. At least that's my bipolar reference. But full beards on men in fashion shows just make us giggle." Cathy Horyn finds male models with beards risible. [On The Runway]

La Roux's lead singer Elly Jackson performed at the Viktor & Rolf men's show because "I really like the old fashioned classic image of the brand." Has she ever seen anything Viktor & Rolf has made? [Vogue UK]

Some designers, like Jason Wu, are touting the fact that their garments are made in New York as a potential lure for sales. But Tim Gunn isn't convinced: "In order to take something off the rack, [a shopper] needs to have an emotional response." He believes a nationwide campaign to educate consumers about sourcing and manufacturing would work better. [WSJ]

Meanwhile, to try and deal with the New York budget clusterfuck, state lawmakers are considering suspending the current sales tax exemption for clothing items under $110. The exemption would be gradually phased back in, under the current proposal. [Crain's]

Lovetta Conto, 17-year-old Liberian war refugee who now lives in the U.S., makes jewelry out of bullet casings from Liberia's civil war. [CNN]

Bird, an L.A.-based handbag line founded in 2006 by Liz Carey, has given up its struggle against retail behemoth Liz Claiborne, which in 2009 launched the sub-brand Bird by Juicy Couture. "I trademarked my company and did everything I was supposed to do," said Carey. So she sued. And although she had a strong case, the legal battle was beyond her financial capabilities. Liz Clairborne "offered me an incredibly low settlement. It's basically not that great, but it'll pay off my legal fees," says Carey. "Liz Claiborne has quite a few lawyers on retainer. I'm paying for my own. Suing corporate America is just more than I could afford." [Fashionista]

Elisabetta Gucci, the granddaughter of the Gucci founder, wants to open a global chain of hotels under the EG by Elisabetta Gucci brand. Gucci is trying to stop her, or failing that, to distance itself from the project. [BW]

A designer named Leon Verres sent out an e-mail announcing his t-shirt, which reads "Fuck Vogue, Fuck Anna, Fuck You." Reads the press release: "Leon Verres the probably most charismatic and strongest designer of all." That sentence is one big [sic]. [Refinery29]